


Don't Run

by Bolontiku



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Mutant Powers, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-28
Updated: 2019-05-28
Packaged: 2020-03-26 12:16:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19005619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bolontiku/pseuds/Bolontiku
Summary: the numbers stopped, only to start up again once Steve brings him back. With his numbers running down Bucky has come to a decision to spare his soulmate the fate of meeting him.





	Don't Run

**Author's Note:**

> this one is pretty lengthy, it ran away from me

Bucky stared at his wrist, maybe he could cut off his right arm?

He grunted as a hand flew across the back of his head, “stop that.” Steve growled.

“Say that out loud?” he asked smirking. 

“Isn’t enough that we’re here?” Steve frowned. It was no secret that Steve was against the idea, God how he had argued with Buck. For the last week he kept bringing it up, finding new arguments. Just to keep Buck from going under the ice again. But the idiot was determined, determined to keep from meeting her. 

_1_4_ 6_25_

One day, four hours, six minutes, 23 seconds now...

The longer he waited the closer she got. 

But HOW?!

He had panicked when the numbers started moving again. A complete shock that had him frozen in place in the middle of a mission, most didn’t even realize one could feel the numbers changing, they were so used to them, but not him. Bucky could feel every second. 

Tony had barely saved him from a bullet. He shouldn’t have. God he shouldn’t have. Then whoever she was could move on. Why had it been Tony? Why had Tony saved him? He should have let him die, nobody needed him. Steve certainly didn’t, the jerk was just holding onto the bit of his past that he could. He was a big guy, he could move on. 

But God Bucky couldn’t. He had been forced to do it all and he knew it. He knew he should forgive himself like Tony had. 

Still, he remembered them. Every last one. 

No one should be tied down to him. He was so afraid, so afraid, if she came into his life she would have to deal with his past, with who and what he was and he knew it would all fall apart. He would fall apart. She would see who he was and cry at the fact that she had been given The Winter Soldier as her soulmate. 

“Buck,” Steve caught his attention, bringing him back here, back to the present.

T’Challa and Shuri walking towards them. “This, is not a good idea,” the king said pursing his lips.

“Its my decision.”

“You are a jerk,” Shuri stated walking past the two super soldiers with a heavy sigh, not waiting for a response she stopped in front of her work station. “And an idiot.”

“Shuri!”

She turned, exasperation written across her face, “do not! I have already told him that it reset when we first put him under, but here he is again. I do not understand why you do not love her.”

Bucky grimaced, “that’s not it! The reason I am doing this is because-”

Shuri raised an eyebrow when he snapped his mouth shut. “Fine, but it will take a day to get it up and running.” Bucky gaped, “I have other work to attend to and this is not a five star resort thank you. Now leave.”

T’Challa snorted, “come, we have rooms that you can stay in for the time being-”

“You mean hide.”

“Shuri!”

Bucky glanced at his friend, worrying. Shuri had been the one to bring him back, he had seen several doctors, but it had been the teenager that had made him feel… okay. She had never coddled him, just speaking to him whenever they met up. Never treating him as if he would break. She always went on about her brother, his duties, her own, life with the Dora Milaje, trying to keep a normal life. When he asked her what normal was for her she stared at him, a smile breaking out on her face and he soon found himself in a small hut surrounded by goats. 

Shuri assured him he would make a great goat herder. 

He missed that.

T’Challa led them through the halls, talking about the meetings he would need to attend soon, but how nice it was to see them again and they would have to have dinner tonight. Perhaps go out to enjoy the nightlife in Wakanda?

Steve nodded, cutting Bucky off when he was about to say no. “You always have your time,” he pointed at Buck’s right wrist. “Let’s enjoy some time together, we don’t have to go out at night, there’s always something to do around here and we can meet the King later for a quiet dinner.”

Bucky nodded, “fine,” he looked at his wrist, twenty eight hours was still plenty of time…

 

Steve left Bucky in his room to get ready, he was beside himself, how many times had he tried talking Bucky out of this insanity? He wondered about his friends soulmate. The world was vast and yet here within the past month they had almost crossed paths three separate times. Which was why Bucky had decided he would go under. Why, Steve still didn’t understand. Bucky didn’t think anyone could love him, but your soulmate was different. He growled to himself as he rounded the corner and grunted as a small body crashed into him. Reaching out he caught hold of her elbow, “Hey!! Whoa there, alright?” he asked steadying her.

“Jesus… yes! Oh!” brown eyes met his blue and the woman smiled brightly at him. Steve returned it a little too quickly, she smelled of wildflowers, earth, and rain. “I am sorry! I’ve just been… I am so close, I know it!” she peered around him and wrung her hands together.

“Eve!” Steve turned to find Shuri jogging towards them, a bright smile on her face. “OH! You’ve met Captain Rogers.”

“Shuri, please, call me Steve,” he introduced himself, giving Shuri a scolding look. She smirked shrugging her shoulders.

“Shuri!” the raven haired woman wrapped her arms around her shoulders, “he is here!! So close!”

Shuri glared up at Steve, “Are you ready to do what is right?”

Steve blinked, a smirk slipping into place.

 

Bucky groaned as Steve tugged on his arm. “Steve, I don’t wanna do this.”

The tall blond rounded on him, “isn’t it enough that I’ve gone along with your insane plan? We’re here aren’t we?? Can’t I go out for drinks with my stupid idiot friend before he puts himself to sleep to ignore the woman that is his soulmate even though she’s amazing?!”

Bucky frowned, eyes narrowing in suspicion, “what?”

“Y-your soulmate has to be amazing, probably has the patience of a goddess if she’s yours, god knows I’m starting to lose patience with ya!”

Bucky sighed, twenty three hours. He made to look at his wrist, which Steve caught up, “Stop that, it’s not gonna change, how would she get here? Of all places? Buck.. have some fun, yeah?”

If he went under for a year at least then maybe, maybe the powers that be would think he died and give her to someone else. That happened before, he thought.

It happened when people chose to live a different life, when one died, there had even been reported cases of people  _ choosing _ to not be with their soulmates. They had established a family already and chosen to love their significant others. 

There was no way that anyone could  _ want _ to be with him. Not with his past, with what he had done. No, this was the right thing to do. 

He knew it. His time had changed already. It had disappeared when he enlisted. Yet it had started up again once Steve saved him. Then when he fell off the train, when he had fallen back into enemy hands, it had stopped, not disappeared, the numbers just stopped. Like when the hand on a clock gets stuck, the numbers would flash, even dim, almost like erasing a mistake you made with a pencil. 

That’s what he was. 

A mistake.

God, he couldn’t do that to her. 

When Steve had brought him back yet again it had stuttered. Every so often it would start again but the numbers would pause. He could feel the numbers, his very soul flickered with the dropping numbers, he couldn’t stop himself from keeping his left hand over them, if he couldn’t see them… he could still feel them. He groaned annoyed.

There were times at night, when he was alone that he would scrub at it with hot water and bleach, hoping, praying to God that he wouldn’t do this to her. He didn’t even know her, but God she deserved better than him.

Steve stopped him, “look I know ya don’t wanna go out, but there’s a party going on here that Shuri said would be nice, casual. T’Challa agreed. C’mon, Buck.”

He let himself be led in, followed Steve to the lavish bar. People were everywhere, he stamped down the small sense of panic, if Sam were here it would have calmed him, the guy was a great buffer.

He smiled as a few women came round them, Steve was great with them. The women fawning over him and touching him. He grinned, flashing his numbers. 

_0_0_0_0_

“Sorry ladies,” he said as they pouted, suddenly turning and giving their attention to Bucky. 

“Well, who’s your friend?” “We could use some entertainment.””These meetings are so boring, perhaps we could go out?” “Wakanda nightclubs are the best!”

Bucky swallowed, his heart thudded, what was this feeling? He could hear Steve talking but he sounded muted. Blue eyes widened and he looked down, he looked up at Steve, panic crossing his features as the numbers now ran down quickly. 

No. 

Not here.

She couldn’t be here.

“Bucky?”

The brunette pushed past the women and hurried towards the doors leading out. If he could get outside he could run. He was sure of it! He had done it before, this past month he had managed to change it three times. 

“Ouch! What is it with men and crashing into me today?!”

Bucky felt the world come to a screeching halt. The woman in front of him had to be at least a head shorter than him. Big brown eyes glared up at him as she shoved a hand through her black hair which tumbled around her face and shoulders in a riotous mess. It was thick and Bucky wanted nothing more than to dig his hands into it. She smelled so damned good too, like flowers after the rain. It soothed and calmed his racing heart and he saw it in her eyes.

“So, it’s you.”

Buck blinked, brows pressing together in confusion. His mouth dropped as she held up her arm, displaying her wrist, numbers flashing.

_0_0_0_0_

He looked down, right hand twitching.

_0_0_0_0_

“You are a hard man to find, I was sure I had you this past year.”

“Y-you’ve? You been  _ trying _ to find me?!” he asked incredulously.

She giggled, nose scrunching, eyes closing, thick lashes sweeping down and damn if that didn’t take his breath away. “Yes! Even with my resources it’s been difficult. I’ve lost you plenty of times. One would think you were actively running away from me?” she tilted her head, the words turning into a question, brown eyes daring him to say it. Admit that he had been running from her.

“You deserve so much better..” the words spilled before he could stop them.

Oh, the emotions that swirled in those soft brown eyes. But it was anger that finally settled there, “How dare you?!” the words were so soft though and Bucky stepped back as she poked him in the chest. “How dare you?!” she demanded. He could hear someone behind him.

“Shit, she’s pissed…” Shuri.

“This is not going to end well,” T’Challa.

“A battle on their first meeting?!” Okoye.

“Dammit Buck,” Steve.

“How dare you?! Do you know what I have been through for you?! Do you know of the the long sleepless nights? When my numbers first disappeared… I mourned you. Mourned you for days, weeks… it hurt so much the thought that you were no longer in this world! Then.. then they came back and I struggled, struggled to move on thinking that the greater powers up in the big blue damned sky had found someone else for me. But there was always something, something telling me that it would be alright and then, then!! Then it stopped!”

Bucky raised his hands, but she just shoved both of them away, hands slapping at his metal without so much of a bat of an eyelash. Instead she stepped forwards, advancing as he backtracked.

“The only thing that kept me going was the fact that they were still there!” she continued, he frowned, continued? What was she implying? What was she saying? “These past years have been nothing but pure hell. I don’t know what you have been through but I can tell you it was not easy for me either. Knowing that you were out there,” she turned, clenching her hands at her sides, muttering to herself.

“Eve…. calm yourself, he is an idiot.”

Eve, her name was Eve. It sank into the depths of his soul, his soulmate...

“Shuri!!” Both T’Challa and Okoye.

“No,” Steve, “no, he is an idiot.”

Bucky tossed a look over his shoulder. Only now realizing, “you knew?!” he asked, “you knew she was here?”

Steve shrugged, “I had no idea.”

Shuri jumped up and down, beaming, “I had an idea, Eve has been a colleague for some time, botanist, number one in the world. Ask her why.”

Bucky turned back to the dark haired woman, “why? Why what?”

Steve let out a noise, the heady mixture of combined scents filling the air. Flowers began to bloom, trailing along the floor up as vines crawled out of thin air. Bucky gasped as she turned, brown eyes alight.

“Here, you say I deserve better, I have been so scared of meeting you and… having you reject me for who I am. Still! I persisted in finding you, I needed you like the very breath I take… but  _ I deserve better _ ?!” she growled stalking towards him, the thick flowers disappearing before her only to bloom once again behind her in her wake. 

Bucky backed up till he found his feet caught up in greenery and vines, clinging to him like so many hands. 

“I can control this… do you know how many have scorned me for what I am? How many have tried to study me, how much hate I have faced?! They’ve caught me up and tried to  **_dissect_ ** me for being a mutant, and you,” her voice had been rising with every word, but just then, Bucky felt his heart crumble at her expression. “You didn’t want me?” she asked, voice quietening, her hands clutched to her chest as if she had never thought of it, face contorting with pain and anguish.

“Oh, shit…”

“Shuri!”

It hit Bucky like nothing ever had before. He would fall off that damned mountain all over again to keep from feeling this. It wasn’t like that, he had never considered that, no, he could never  _ not  _ want her. He just wanted to spare her his troubles. “I-”

She harrumphed, god she had so much fire in her and Bucky knew he was a goddamned idiot in the second she shook herself and started towards him again. Once she was a foot away, literally tilting her head back and up at him, she blew him a kiss.

Bucky hit the ground with a loud thump and Steve cried out in surprise. 

Okoye snickered, Shuri howled in laughter.

“I hate it when she does that,” T’Challa murmured. “Come!” he waved at a few guards that had been at the edge keeping others from intruding, “I will not be the one to carry him. He is a heavy idiot.”

 

Steve stopped her as she stepped out of the room, “where are you going?”

“I shouldn’t-” Eve looked away as the king's guard nodded at them both walking past them. 

“What do you mean you shouldn’t? What be here?”

“You heard him! He doesn’t want me!” she exclaimed motioning towards the sleeping man.

“Do not be quick to write yourself off my friend,” Shuri said placing a hand on her shoulder. “He is a very big idiot, the Captain knows this and you will too once you get to know him. Go change, come back, the room will not be locked, wait for him to wake and speak with him.”

Eve smiled at Shuri, nodding in agreement. Once in her rooms she changed into what felt the most comfortable, wondering about him. 

She had seen all the media coverage of him, she knew about the man. All the bad media, she had known about the loss of Shuri and T’Challa’s father. Had consoled the teen once she could get back into the country. 

Eve shook her head, Shuri had told her of the man her brother had brought home. Sheltering the men that had gone against SHIELD and giving them a place to stay for a bit. Eve had been there to help grow rare healing herbs. Then she had been invited back once Killmonger had destroyed the precious heart shaped herb, Eve had struggled to find it in the dense wilderness surrounding the Wakandan city but she had found it and encouraged it to come back.

When she had shown up today to check the stock she had left in their care her numbers had began to move a little bit faster, that’s when she had crashed into the Captain.

Opening the door to his room she tiptoed in, closing the door as quietly as she could. He looked peaceful, long dark lashes against those high cheekbones. Reaching out she ran a finger along his jaw, giggling when he swatted at her hand. 

It was metal, Shuri had told her of it, Eve herself had been given a sneak peak when the girl had finished making it. Gold enhanced the black, it had looked so docile laying in the case, but moving? It sent a shiver through her. There was power in her mate, she had known he would be formidable but she had never guessed…

Sadness filled her, she knew of his past, what he had gone through, the torture. He was made for her, she could feel it in her soul. If only she could make him feel it too. 

Carefully moving she sat at the end of his bed, filling the room with flowers, scenting it with lavender to create a heady and calming mixture before waking him.

 

Bucky stretched rousing, long legs and arms, muscles relaxing as he let out a small groan, he couldn’t remember sleeping so heavily in over a year.

“I hope this ends well.”

He jolted up, eyes falling on the woman that sat at the end of his bed, knees drawn up. She wore an oversized tee, sweats and fuzzy socks, her dark hair piled up top her head in a bun. This did nothing to keep waywards strands of curls from tumbling free, she was a vision he thought as the setting sun threw golden rays across her like golden streams playing with the tanned color of her skin. “You’re not a dream?” he asked, right arm lifting and eyes flickering over the numbers there.

She smiled softly shaking her head. “I must apologize. I shouldn’t have...done that, but I was angry and I realize that that is not a good reason nor an excuse and-” she pursed her lips together. “I’m sorry.”

Bucky nodded, sitting up properly, he was still in jeans and his henley. “Wh-where’s Steve?”

“Oh, I can get him if you’d like? Maybe he should be here instead of me?” she moved, slipping off the bed with ease, small feet on the ground. “I’m really sorry-”

“Don’t-” he caught himself. “Stay? Uh, we could talk? You wanna talk right? That’s why you’re here?”

She nodded, tongue darting out and swiping over her soft lips. “I should-” she looked around and moved quickly, grabbing the seat from the corner of the room. Bucky wanted to tell her to just join him in bed, it felt empty all of a sudden. She fussed around for a seconds, then turned her eyes on him and smiled so sweetly, settling in the plush seat, “hi.”

“Hi,” he managed.

“My name is Eve.”

“Bucky, well, James Buchanan Barnes, but… call me Bucky.”

“Bucky,” she repeated leaning back in the ridiculously plush seat, her feet tucked under her. 

It seemed that she had always been there, a shadow in his life, the one he was destined to meet. “Eve? No last name?”

“Mikaia, Eve Mikaia,” she answered quietly, watching him.

“You said, it sounded like you were saying that… you’ve been, but that doesn’t-”

“I’m very old Bucky,” she stated watching him. She smiled, “Bucky.” His name slipped out in wonder, eyes closing in pleasure. “I haven’t aged since I turned twenty five, I’m not sure if it’s the powers or if it’s our unusual connection,” she said opening her eyes and letting them wander over his frame.

Bucky studied her as she appeared to do the same, the room falling into silence as they did. “You’ve been alone all this time?”

She nodded, “I dreamt of you.” 

“Did you?”

“I could never see you but, it was you. I recognize your presence.”

“There are some stories like that. You sure you want me? Do you know who I am?”

She nodded, “do you mind?” she asked pointing at the bed, when he nodded not even sure what she was asking he watched her leave the seat and climb back onto the bed. “I watched as you slept but,” she chuckled, “I still feel like you’ll disappear.” He swallowed, “please don’t.”   
“Don’t?”

“Please, don’t run, can we try? If you don’t want me I’ll understand, do you have a sweetheart already? Is that why you’ve run?”

Bucky shook his head, “there’s never been anyone.”   
“You’re afraid of who you are, is that it?” she asked shifting on the bed, moving closer to him. He nodded hesitantly, a smile lighting her lips, “I understand that, god I do!”

Bucky felt his heartbeat struggling, she was so close, he could hear, feel her heartbeat and he felt it the moment they synced. 

Two heartbeats, skipping, dancing and matching the others.

“You feel that?” she asked in wonder.

He nodded, fear filling him.

“Don’t run,” she whispered as he moved, her smile broadening when he moved towards her. 

“I’m not.”   
“Are you sure?” she asked holding her hands out, he watched as bright colored flowers bloomed in the center of her palms. 

He reached up metal fingers slipping over the soft surface of the petals, “I’m done running.”

Eve giggled, tucking one of the brightly colored flower in his hair. “Can I?” Bucky nodded as she leant closer, he sucked in his breath willing himself to stay in his spot as her hand fell on the bed beside him, her face inches from his and the distance closing. “Do you want this?” she asked pausing as her lips brushed his.

He hummed, nodding, tilting his head to the side a little, brushing his lips against hers firmly, decidedly.

She sighed as she closed the distance.

Bucky now understood why they called him and idiot. He had been an idiot. All his life. He eagerly responded, right hand cupping the back of her head and gently pulling her closer. She straddled him quickly, humming in pleasure when his left hand caught at her waist, sighing as he deepened their kiss, his tongue sweeping in dancing along hers, her small hands on his shoulders, clutching at his tense muscles, soothing them until he melted into her.

Eve pulled back first, Bucky leaning forwards following her lips. “Dinner?” She blinked as he frowned. “Dinner Bucky, we are soulmates but I would very much like to get to know the man who has kept running from me. We can get to understand what happened all those years ago, maybe?”

He nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

“T’Challa has a wonderful kitchen staff.”

“I know.”

She smirked as she clambered off him. “How many times have we missed each other?” she asked quietly standing next to the bed now, her hand in his, fingers absentmindedly toying with his. She sounded sad and he swore that he would work on making her only smile from here on out. 

“We’ll figure that out,” he promised following her to the door. “Eve...”

She looked up at him as she stepped out the door, “Bucky, if you run, I won’t come after you this time.”

He snorted, “no running.”

He watched in awe as she made her way down the hall, glancing over her shoulder at him before waving and turning the corner, he had been an idiot for far too long. Maybe he could have this, maybe Steve was right. Maybe he was worth it. But he knew, he wouldn’t be running anymore.


End file.
